1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of storage systems and more particularly to an improved wall-mounted shelving system in which one or more shelves can be easily mounted in cantilevered fashion to a wall using certain unique hardware. The unique hardware used in the wall-mounted shelving system of the present invention includes a mounting bracket that has an inverted frustoconical collar which receives a sleeve having a mating frustoconical outer surface and a cylindrical inner surface. The sleeve, in turn, embraces a pilaster in the form of a post. The bracket further includes an engaging member protruding from the collar, which is formed to engage a track mounted horizontally on a wall. Two or more posts may be carried on the track, and in turn the wall, using two or more such brackets and one or more shelves may then be supported on the posts. The system of the present invention may also be used to mount other objects and accessories, such as cabinets and supporting grids, on a wall.
Wall-mounted shelving systems of the type described have many applications in, for example, the food service and other general storage industries and environments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wall-mounted shelving systems are known and are available on the market in various forms. The walls with which such systems are designed to be used typically have a wall panel supported on underlying, vertically mounted studs. The known shelving systems generally include a plurality of vertically mounted uprights or pilasters secured to the wall, a plurality of shelves, and a plurality of brackets or supports for mounting the shelves on the uprights. It is desirable in such conventional systems that, in order to enhance the load-bearing capacity of the system, the uprights be secured directly to wall studs.
Although these known systems have utility in many applications, they suffer from a number of drawbacks. One common problem with such systems relates to their attachment to a wall. For example, in the case of the systems designed for use with typical stud-wall construction, there can be difficulties in attaching the system to the wall such that the system will be capable of supporting substantial weight. However, attaching the uprights of such system directly to the studs, as suggested above, makes the installation dependent on stud spacing, which can then constrain the shelf length to that spacing. Therefore, the location at which such a system can be mounted is limited.
In one crude solution to this problem, a wide strip, like a piece of wood, is attached horizontally to the face of the wall using fasteners secured directly into the underlying studs. The vertical uprights of the shelving system are, in turn, attached to the strip, but not necessarily to the underlying studs. In this way, placement of the uprights, and consequently the length of the shelves, is not limited by the spacing of the studs. However, a common problem with the resulting installation is that it is often unattractive. Further, such installation can involve additional cost and effort, and lacks flexibility, because the uprights are typically secured to the horizontal strip using convention fasteners like screws.
Another common problem with known wall systems relates to the actual task of attaching them to a wall. It can be difficult to arrange the components so that they are all in proper alignment, with the shelves extending horizontally in level fashion and at proper vertical spacing. Some existing systems, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,080 (Rieman), attempt to address both of these problems and those associated with attaching a horizontal strip or piece of wood to the face of the wall as explained above. Such systems typically include a horizontal track formed from sheet metal that is attached to the wall at the underlying wall studs to span the distance between at least two studs. Two or more uprights or pilasters are hung from the horizontal track, and shelf-supporting brackets are attached to the pilasters. The pilasters are also made of sheet metal and are formed as generally U-shaped channels.
A system similar to that shown and described in the Reiman Patent is offered commercially by Closet Maid under the trademark Shelf Track and is shown in FIG. 34. As can be seen there, the Closet Maid system includes a horizontal track having a downwardly open U-shaped upper channel, the back wall of which is formed by a web. That web terminates at its lower margin in a backwardly open U-shaped channel having a horizontal upper ledge projecting at substantially a right angle from the web. A pilaster in the form of a U-shaped channel, similar to that disclosed in the Reiman Patent, has an upper end received in the upper U-shaped channel of the track and opposing side walls that are formed with U-shaped notches that receive the lower backwardly open U-shaped channel of the track thereby to vertically support the pilaster.
While systems such as that shown in the Reiman Patent and offered by Closet Maid have advantages, there are also a number of additional drawbacks. First, the pilasters and the horizontal tracks typically have enclosed areas that are difficult to clean. This characteristic renders such systems less than desirable for use in many food service and other applications in which sanitation is important. More particularly, the pilasters in the form of U-shaped vertical channels have open regions behind them. The front webs of the pilaster channels are also provided with numerous openings or slots that mate with the shelf supporting brackets. Still further, the pilasters are typically open at the top and bottom. Accordingly, soil and vermin can enter the enclosed regions, which are not easily accessible for cleaning. In addition, the horizontal supporting track, such as that disclosed in the Rieman Patent, incorporates a lower lip that is angled upwardly in a way that can catch and retain contaminants. This acutely angled lip can also be hard to clean. Still further such systems are designed for use only with pilasters of a particular configuration and are not readily adapted to be reconfigured to support different style pilasters. And such systems generally are configured so that the pilasters can only be hung from the track, that is so that shelves and other accessories can only be carried on the pilasters at the level of the track or below it.
Another common problem in the known systems described above is that the pilasters and shelf brackets typically have limited load-carrying capability. Where heavy loads are to be expected, it is often necessary to use many pilasters, which can increase the cost and the complexity of the system and provide even more regions that are difficult to clean.
There exists, therefore, a need for an improved wall-mounted shelving system that overcomes these and other drawbacks associated with prior art systems. The improved wall-mounted system should ideally be capable of supporting heavy loads without being limited in its placement by wall studs, and should be easy to clean. The system should also be cost effective and simple to install.